Your name (or username): NicoleYour loves name (or username): AndrewYour ages: I'm 21, he's almost 23Been together: 1 year, 3 months-ishBeen apart: On & Off, I see him once a monthReason for the separation: He lives in NYC, I live in PennsylvaniaLocations and/or distance apart: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^How often do you see each other?Once a month if I can! When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? No idea........Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Exclusively in love <3 !Your favorite way to express your love while separated: We talk every day 1-3 times on the phone and use facebook a bit.Your meeting/getting together story: I met him 3 years ago at Warped Tour in a mosh pit and we started talking....and couple years later we started dating. We've been" together" since June 27th, 2011.

Your name (or username): Erica Your loves name (or username): JeffYour ages: Me: 41 Him: 49Been together: 6 monthsBeen apart: 2 monthsReason for the separation: He is a pipeliner and has to travel for work. He's had this job for over 20 years.Locations and/or distance apart: Currently 1 hour apart. But, he's always moving.How often do you see each other? Right now, every other weekendWhen will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? I'm not sure.Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? We are definitely Exclusively Dating.Your favorite way to express your love while separated: Texting and phone calls. He doesn't do technology well. So, unfortunately, no video chats. :^(Your meeting/getting together story: We were friends for 3 months before we actually started dating. We were both attracted to each other and decided to take our relationship to the next level. I'm so glad that we did.Anything else you want to tell us?

Your favorite way to express your love while separated:We both have notebooks that we are writing to each other in. When we see each other again, we'll exchange them and read them. I think this is so nice as unlike phone calls/Skype there is a written record of everything we felt/wanted to say. I'm better at expressing myself in words, anyway.

Your meeting/getting together story: Mutual friend introduced us but we were with other people at the time. We always liked each other secretly and then one day much later, we got together and never looked back. :)

Anything else you want to tell us?I've never felt so lonely in my entire life. Not only am I not able to see my husband but my landlady is trying to evict me illegally (she has a personal grudge), and I have to deal with finding somewhere new to live on my own (not because I have to leave, but because I don't want anything to do with her anymore). I joined this community because I am so lonely I can't handle it. In ordinary circumstances I am quite happily a solitary person but right now I need company in any form. My situation is very complex, so please respect my wishes if I don't want to divulge all the details. But otherwise, I'd love to talk. :)

Your name (or username): AmandaYour loves name (or username): MichaelYour ages: I'm 22 and he's 25Been together: 10 monthsBeen apart: 5 monthsReason for the separation: He works on a tugboat.Locations and/or distance apart: I'm in Maine and he's in New YorkHow often do you see each other? Every two weeksWhen will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? No ideaNon-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Exclusively Dating, about to become EngagedYour favorite way to express your love while separated: phone calls, textingYour meeting/getting together story: My best friend dated his best friend, they broke up, she stayed friends with his best friend and introduced us.Anything else you want to tell us? We had been together for about 5 months before he got a really great job offer to work on a tugboat, he had been on a waiting list for two years. He's at work two weeks at a time and home two weeks at a time. I know it's not a traditional long distance relationship, but it's hard.

Your name (or username): LauraYour love's name (or username): RyYour ages: I'm 34, he's 33Been together: almost 5 yearsBeen apart: not yetReason for the separation: I may take a job in AZLocations and/or distance apart: 1500 miles if I take the jobHow often do you see each other? Currently live together, but if I move probably once a month or so.When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? 3 monthsNon-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? ExclusiveYour favorite way to express your love while separated: phone and emailYour meeting/getting together story: We met on a writing workshop website - we were 350 miles apart at that time. I visited him about every 2 weeks. The first time he visited me he didn't bother to go back. He hates to travel.Anything else you want to tell us? We have two cats.

He's going to start school again in the fall. He'll be taking classes full time and will probably keep working part time as well. I've got an opportunity to follow my dream job 1500 miles away and I'm thinking I'll probably go.

We have a very peaceful relationship - not exciting but not boring either. We haven't had any time apart since he moved in with me, except for one recent long weekend when I worked at a music festival. It did make the heart grow fonder. Does anyone have any advice on preparing for the separation?

This looks like a really nice community and I'm looking forward to getting to know you. I will also join loversfaraway if/when I move. Thanks so much!

Your name (or username): AmieYour loves name (or username): NickYour ages: I'm 22, he is 27Been together: 1 yearBeen apart: Since SeptemberReason for the separation: He got given an amazing job offer in New York and agreed it before I even knew him!Locations and/or distance apart: I'm in London, he's in New York. 8hour flight.How often do you see each other?: Depends on luck. Saw him once between September - December, then he was home for Xmas, then saw him end of January as he came back to work in London for two weeks, then we went to Mexico for a weekin Feb, then I saw him 6 weeks after over Easter and then he came back to work in London but got stuck here for three weeks due to the volcano (tragic!!) and he came over recently where we went to a wedding. When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)?: I don't know..Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married?: Exclusively dating (I hope anyway!!)Your favorite way to express your love while separated: We talk all day literally on whatsapp (iphone app = free messaging)Your meeting/getting together story: We met on a boat party, wasted. Took the mick out of each other and he begged me to take his number. We met up eventually 4 weeks later, had 6 weeks of dating and then he flew away. He asked me out on my birthday on the top of the Rock in NY.Anything else you want to tell us?: It is really hard but I've never felt this way about anyone. I love spending time with him and often we spend 9hours just talking. I love greeting him at the airports etc but I really miss those first 6 weeks of dating where everything was carefree and spontaneous. I wish we could have more spontaneous dates etc but obviously due to time and cost this is not possible. It's bloody expensive!!!

Sometimes I freak out a bit and start either laying into him for no reason or because I've fabricated things in my head. I don't know if anyone else does this in LDR's or if it is just because I have problems! I often just want to be reassured and complimented... Reading other people's ones of these makes me think - we really aren't that "romantic". I wrote him a letter once upon a time, I've never received one back haha. If I asked him to stay on webcam while I slept he'd be like wtf!!

Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Used to be Exclusive... But not right now. We still love each other though.

Your favorite way to express your love while separated: Phone calls... Texting. Thats about all we can do.

Your meeting/getting together story: We met in In School Suspension. [It was a mistake that I was there! Wasnt my fault!] But I hadnt ever seen him then. The next school year when he was in my gym class, I took it as a sign and started talking to him. Fell in love!

Anything else you want to tell us? We had broken up before he moved... But soon we started talking again and realized that we still both loved each other and can't stay apart... :(

reason for separation-our distance is our reason for our separation. He is going to take on an apprentice union job working in construction; but he is all lined up to go to the Air Force. the only reason that i think that he hasn't gone into it already is that i want him to take his time an think about it before he actually singes his name committing himself till his term is up. while i am stuck in a little hick town so small that it literally has one stop light. ...and it broke yesterday! this town has one grocery store an it went out of business once! people drove 30min out there way to buy groceries. sorry i know that is way off subject but omg! it does speak a bit to my boyfriend's character that he'd drive here to visit me. lol

how often do we see each other?we hadn't seen each other in almost a month but he was coming about halfway from were he lives to were i live so i met him half way an we spent a few hours together before we both had to go back home. we are going to start trying to see each other ateast once a week. but it might be kinda hard because of how much gas costs.

when will our LDR become a SDR?i really don't know. i love him an i know that he loves me. but it might be a few years before that could happen; we are both at a starting point with not a whole lot under our feet an i want to go to collage and he wants to get into a career. which is good that we trying to get set so that we can have decent lives, but it's part of why we don't get to see each other. i think that once we can get enough education or enough experience that we are able to make enough money to pay bills; which would then let us be able to be together.

How exclusive?um he has talked about marriage. he's told me that he wants to be together for a long time. an i want to be with him. we've talked about latter in life having kids, and how many kids. about when we're old. about when we die what we want to happen and what to have happened. we are young but we really do love each other.

Favorite way to show love while separated?i don't think that i have a favorite. but we talk on the phone, myspace, and through our xboxs. but i miss seeing him smile and hearing him laugh not seeing haha or =) typed out.

Our meeting getting together story....well we used to go to the same high school, we didn't know each other then but we had math class together. we are both very shy by nature but slowly we started to talk to each other in class, an we started to become friends then he moved away. but before he had moved away he had send me a friend request on myspace. the next year after he left we both had online classes and were on the computer for probably about four hours. that being the case we talked through myspace about anything and everything for a little over a year. then sometime in the year that followed that year spent talking through myspace he came back to the little city that we had once both lived in (an i still lived at the time.) to visit his cousin. But it had snowed over night so hard that most of the roads were closed, and the high way was like a last resort. so he stayed another night with his cousin. sometime that day that he woke up to his car being snowed in an the roads being so bad he said lets hang out cause he was in the area. i caught a bus and meet him at a store that was close to were his cousin lives and we spent the day together. when it was got to be time for me to waite for my bus we go into a little snow ball fight. then on the bench waiting for the last bus that would get me home he was asking me questions like 'what would you've said if i had asked you out when we went to school together' but i didn't want to answer any of his questions because i liked him and i was too shy to say so. or go first. so then i think out of curiosity and frustration he asked me out. and i said yes. and he leaned in to kiss me. i know that his was trying to get me to french kiss him but i did not let that happen. haha dont know why? i was just like nope. then i got on the bus and went to the window to look out at him and flipped him off and made a face. he smiled real big then flipped me off. we look at each other till our eyes couldn't see around the very back of the bus through to the windows.

anything else i want to share....any ideas on how to keep in touch, gifts, forget me nots......ect.anything suggestions at all are appreciated. really. =)

Your name (or username): MichelleYour loves name (or username): AimanYour ages: 22 & 23Been together: 2 YearsBeen apart: 4 daysReason for the separation: He is going to med schoolLocations and/or distance apart: 5,800 miles apart :(How often do you see each other? Twice a yearWhen will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? 4 years from nowNon-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Exclusively datingYour favorite way to express your love while separated: Text messaging

The Goodbye

I just got back to my parents house after a long day saying goodbye to Aiman. Being at the airport with him and his family made for an awkward goodbye, I just wanted to hug and kiss him the whole time but I could barely bring myself to kiss him in front of his parents - it just seemed inappropriate. I tried not to cry - I hate for people I don't really know to see me so vulnerable, so with a quick hug and a kiss I let him go. I stood there for what seemed like a lifetime watching him as he swirled through the line, desperately hoping he would glance in my direction one final time before he disappeared from my sight.

Driving home Tarek and I got into a conversation about him and Emily and me and Aiman. He said that her and I were in ‘special situations’ with him and Aiman because of the religion and traditional differences between our families and theirs. Though I know his intentions for our conversation were good, I couldn’t help but be saddened by realization that sometimes love really isn’t enough. He explained to me that his parents want him to start seeing Emily less and that though they originally said it would be OK for him to date her, they didn’t expect it to go this far (6 years). I asked him if he truly, honestly, in his heart thought his parents would stop talking to him if he married her and without even thinking he responded with ‘My mom probably would eventually, but my dad never would – I think it would break his heart if I were to do that’. It was at that moment that my heart just dropped. I could never ask Aiman to give up his family for me, even if he was willing to do so, it makes me wonder if I’m being selfish with him. Could I really be with him if his parents didn’t approve of it? Would he resent me one day for ruining his relationship with his family? I know these are questions whose answers will only be revealed with time but I can’t keep them from flowing through my mind.

I know it seems so crazy but I can’t imagine life without him. I literally share every detail of my life with him, for the past two years he has been there for me every second I needed him and now I have no one. I never thought I could love anyone like this or find someone with whom I have such a strong connection, he really is more than my boyfriend, he's my best friend. Adjusting to this is going to suck.

Decided it was time for a bit of a shout out post of sorts. Anyone still reading? If so, what are you guys up to these days? Still long distance? Anyone recently gone local or anything?

As for myself, I've been "local" for just over 2 years now (after 4 years long-distance) and things are great. Took some adjusting at first to find our stride after being used to being apart for so long, but I think I can speak for both of us that we are truly happy that our angsty days of long distance are behind us.

Your name (or username): Isabella or Izzy or Bella isabellawhatevaYour loves name (or username): Jason or Jay jasonwhatevaYour ages: I'm 18(almost 19) and he's 19(almost 20)Been together: 4 years as of Jan 20Been apart: Since August 2008Reason for the separation: Me going to 4 year collegeLocations and/or distance apart: Newport News, VA-Charlottesville, VA (2.5 hours)How often do you see each other? Every other weekend (sometimes two weekends in a row)When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? Graduation (2012) or earlier if he transfers/moves here. We're together for summer and winter breaks.Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Engaged :)Your favorite way to express your love while separated: Phone calls, cards, constant text messagesYour meeting/getting together story: We are high school sweethearts. We both had biology together. Back then, we were both little emo/goth kids (we grew out of it.) I fell for him the moment I saw him, but to him I was just the annoying little freshman. We both went to young life and grew close on a Fall Weekend trip. One day during a snow day we went downtown together. There was a fountain and we both wished on it that we would get together. We kissed in the car ride home and have been madly in love ever since. Anything else you want to tell us? We've been having an extremely hard time even though we're trying to stay positive. We've lived together for about a year or more and it is heartbreaking having to say goodnight over the phone every night. ( Collapse )

Your name (or username): Tanya (drakefn)Your loves name (or username): Jamie (mjbrown54)Your ages: 23(me) & 28(him)Been together: That's complicated... fully committed is new but... eventful.Been apart: Only three days so far.Reason for the separation: He's got work lined up... a kind of "job for life"Locations and/or distance apart: BC and Ontario. About 3,000 miles.How often do you see each other? Won't see each other again 'til I move there most likely.When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? This summer hopefully.Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Exclusive.Your favorite way to express your love while separated: Haven't really gotten in to the hang of things quite yet. He's not even online yet so we only have phone calls.Your meeting/getting together story: Well we've known each other for about three years. We never got together during the time and both ended up in relationships with others, even though we liked each other. Both those relationships ended around the same time and we "hooked up", both thinking it was more a friends with benefits thing... but we quickly fell in love. And it scared the Hell out of us so we kind of ran away from it. Then I learned I was pregnant. He was so freaked out he played the jerk card, though not well. He tried to say he wanted nothing to do with anything, but his answers were conflicted. I never saw him during this time though. I miscarried eventually and a couple days later he was on my doorstep in tears. He was heartbroken for the loss of the baby, how he'd treated me, and the fact he'd probably screwed everything up with me. He told me he loved me, got down on his knees and promised if I gave him a second chance he'd never screw it up again.Anything else you want to tell us? Last night on the phone he said, "This is sound funny but I actually miss Rodney." Rodney is my cat. Hehe. It was so cute. Rodney has been crying every night since he's been gone too, breaks my heart.

This isn't spam, my name is Jennifer and I am a casting associate at MTV True Life. Right now we are casting for a new episode of True Life called I'm a Newlywed.Thanks!

Are you and your fiancé about to begin life as a married couple? Going from engagement to the altar is a journey full of challenges that test the strength of your relationship, but it only gets harder once you say your vows.

Do you consider yourself the next Nick & Jessica? Have you planned a fairytale wedding to your sweetheart? Are you a traditional couple who've waited to have sex until their wedding night? Will you be moving in together for the first time after the honeymoon and think that married life is going to be a big change full of exciting challenges?

If you appear to be between the ages of 18-28, are getting married in the next month or two and would like to share your story, MTV wants to hear from you! Email us at newlywed@mtvn.com and tell us as much about your situation as possible. Also, please be sure to include your name, location, phone number, photo, and wedding date.

looks like this community is fairly inactive - but i figure that if someone needs advice, or if i do, i might as well join. no harm, in any rate :)

Your name (or username): augustineYour loves name (or username): MicahYour ages: both 19 (he's a month older)Been together: 18 monthsBeen apart: a total of 12 of those 18 months (we're both home at Christmas for a month and in the summer for three months).Reason for the separation: going to college in different states.Locations and/or distance apart: i'm in Boston, he's in St. Louis - about 1200 miles.How often do you see each other?: depends on ticket prices and the dates of long weekends; usually every 6 - 8 weeks, but we were lucky last semester - we saw each other every 4 weeks!When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)?: June 2011 (if we make it that far!)Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married?: exclusively datingYour favorite way to express your love while separated: we have a private LJ community that we write letters to each other in, about once a week...i like them because they're usually kind of sappy and sweet. i also love sending him care packages, with snacks and drink mixes and homemade brownies. probably the nerdiest thing we do is we'll video chat at night, when i'm going to bed. i put my laptop on my desk, right next to my bed, and he'll talk to me or tell me stories while i'm falling asleep. sometimes we'll even go to bed "together" :PYour meeting/getting together story: a close friend (Nate) of his was invited to my best friend's annual boys v. girls water fight. afraid of having no one to talk to, Nate asked Micah to come along. i'd seen him around (we were both involved in Forensics and had mutual friends) and i thought he was cute, so i chased him and we flirted while we shot squirt guns and threw water balloons! i cut my foot badly on a rock and had to sit down because it hurt to walk. he sat down beside me and struck up a conversation. a facebook friending, a few phone calls, a couple dates and a month later, we were dating.Anything else you want to tell us?: he has to leave to go back to college for the spring semester next weekend and i'm pretty bummed about it. i'm home until January 31st because i had surgery on my foot and i have to be here to meet with my surgeon for follow ups. i'm lucky enough to go down there about a week after he does, but it's not him leaving that's getting me; it's the fact that the semester is ALREADY about to start and we aren't so lucky this time, it'll be about 8 weeks between visits. i know that's not much but i'm sure you can all relate to the fact that anything more than a few days starts to get hard! it's so tough, knowing that we still have 2 1/2 years before we can be together permanently. i mean, this past year and a half have flown by, but it just seems so far away...and saying goodbye never gets easier. i can't wait until we're in grad school together, with our own place, and our parents can't control the time we spend together. i can't wait to wake up next to him every day and fall asleep next to him every night. i know i just need to keep positive, but it's hard to keep from getting down sometimes!

anyway, if anyone's reading this, hello! is there any way we could get this community more active? i've really enjoying being a member of LFA, and i feel like this community is even better suited to my situation, since i can't provide much advice for people who met online and are now in LDRs. are there many other college students here?

Your name (or username): CatyYour loves name (or username): AlexYour age: Almost 16Their age: Almost 18Been together: A year and a half on October 5thBeen apart: A little over a year this past AugustReason for the separation: I'm still not clear on that. I think it was financial issues, but his mom lives where i do and his dad recently moved away. Since his mom doesn't have custody of him, he had to move with his dad.Locations and/or distance apart: About 3000 miles. :[ I'm near Seattle, WA, and he's near Albany, NY.How often do you see each other? When we can. Since he has to fly out to visit his mom every so often, i see him then. He spent the whole summer out here which was so nice, then he had to fly back to New York for school. He has a free plane ticket [long story, he was bumped in December when he tried to fly out here resulting in a free national plane ticket on Alaska Airlines xD] which he's planning on using for Thanksgiving, then he's going to fly out here again for his winter break because his mom already bought the plane ticket...from there it's up in the air. I'm flying out for his prom though, in May. :]When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? If SDR means short distance, then i'm not so sure. He's picking out colleges and getting ready to apply to places, many of them are in New York, and some are in Washington. I really hope he comes back here for school. If he does, it'll be another year, but we can do it.Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? We're exclusive.Your favorite way to express your love while separated: As long as i express my love for him to him at all, i'm happy. I miss him so much, as long as i know he's okay and he had a good day, my day turns into something a thousand times happier. Hearing his voice is about as good as it gets on a personal level, so i try to call him as much as i can and vice versa. If that doesn't work out, email's probably our second option. Your meeting/getting together story: I posted this already in another LDR community, so the abridged version is that my best friend is his sister, so if it weren't for her, i would have never met Alex. I met him about two years ago and as corny as it sounds, there were sparks between us even if we were just talking. We kept our attraction for each other a secret until we had our first date in April of '07.Anything else you want to tell us? I just decided to post this here because i was thinking about him an extra amount and it feels good to tell our story to anyone who's willing to read it. :]

Your name: HaleyYour loves name: CJYour ages: Im 16 and hes 15Been together: For about 8 monthsBeen apart: About 4 monthsReason for the separation: His parents had to get away from their drug addictionLocations and/or distance apart: Im in Arlington Tx and hes in Port Aransas Tx. Somewhere close to 500 milesHow often do you see each other? Not very often. Ive seen him once since he leftWhen will your LDR become a SDR?In two years if we last that longNon-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Exclusively datingYour favorite way to express your love while separated: Writing to him and drawing him picturesYour meeting/getting together story: It sounds funny but I encouraged a friend to hurt him although I did not know him. And the next day after school he followed me across the street. He hung out with me in the cold until my ride came. I had already liked him! We talked for the next few weeks and he asked me out at a friends party. I fell for him fastAnything else you want to tell us? His being away is really starting to get to me and depressing me. Hes all I ever need and I fear that Ill lose him( Collapse )( Collapse )( Collapse )

I'm so used to posting to my personal journal that I forget that I'm a member to a couple of communities, and this is a pretty great community to be a part of.

Consequently, I was looking back through all the previous posts and came across my intro (and only) post here and decided I should maybe give an update on my LDR.

We officially made the transition to a SDR on June 21, 2008 when Ron and I got married. Now I'm living in the wonderful little town of Brewerton (near Syracuse) searching for a job and a house while we start our new life together living in the bedroom he grew up in at his parents house. It doesn't matter that we don't have our own place yet — at least we're together, which is what we've been trying to do for the last two years.

Up until our wedding, nearly our entire relationship was an LDR. The only time we were together all the time was while we were finishing college. Then we both moved back to our respective little towns; he had a job and was looking for on that was in his field, I was going to grad school and working as a freelancer for a local paper. That scenario started in December 2004.

So now, three and a half years later, we're together and have spent every night together since our wedding and as wonderful as it feels, it still feels strange to call him "my husband". I've even caught myself referring to him at "my boyfriend" and "my fiance" though we've now been married for three weeks (tomorrow).

Your name: MollyYour love's name: BradYour ages: I'm 17 (about to be 18 on Sunday) and he is 18Been together: 3 years.Been apart: Not yet--we will be as of August 23.Reason for the separation: I'm going to college in Los Angeles. He'll be either at school in Santa Cruz or in our hometown in the Bay Area.Locations and/or distance apart: ~350 miles.How often do you see each other? On breaks from school and hopefully occasional weekends.When will your LDR become a SDR (if you know)? We'll be local again over summers and after we're done with school.Non-exclusively Dating, Exclusively Dating, Engaged, or Married? Exclusively dating.Your favorite way to express your love while separated: Phone calls. I like writing emails but he's horrible about checking them at this point--we'll have to work on that before we leave.Your meeting/getting together story: It's a pretty classic high-school type story... We were good friends in middle school. I developed a mad crush on him in our freshman year of high school. I worked up the guts to ask him to a movie that summer. Our first date was the most awkward thing ever. He is my first-ever boyfriend, and I couldn't ask for anyone more incredible.Anything else you want to tell us? We haven't gone long distance yet, but I was poking around in this community and I saw how supportive and encouraging everyone is, and I'm hoping to soak up some of that confidence. I'm terrified, but extremely hopeful. :D